Pat's TV Reviews: The Avengers - Earth's Mightiest Heroes

I've said for a long time now that while Marvel Comics is without a doubt winning the live-action movie war against DC Comics, it simply cannot be argued that DC has been winning the Animated war. DC's dominance in the animated market was established way back in the early 90's with shows like the Batman Animated Series, the Superman animated series and the too-awesome-for-words Justice league series. Sure, Marvel had some success with the X-Men and Spider-man animated shows from the 90's, but I don't think anyone would argue that the quality of the storytelling of DC's shows has been much higher on average.

Then, in the first decade of the 2000's, DC continued to blaze animated trails with shows like Justice League Unlimited and some amazing straight to DVD animated movies featuring Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Superman and more. Meanwhile, Marvel hasn't managed to do a whole lot. Every now and then a piece of brilliance comes out from them like the Wolverine VS. animated movies and the Wolverine & The X-Men series, but these quality projects are few and far in between, and in the case of the latter they go unappreciated by fans and are cancelled after only one season.

Today, DC dominates the animated superhero field. However, Marvel isn't quite ready to call it a day just yet. Back in October 2010 they launched a brand new series called Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. I know, you're probably saying to yourself, "2010? Why the hell are you writing about this now? This is not news!" Well, to that I'd say that you need to relax. I'm only a part time blogger and I'm also generally incredibly behind when it comes to what is on TV seeing as I don't have cable and must rely on Netflix and the internet for my entertainment needs. I'm doing the best I can here.

Anyways, yes, the series has been out for a while now. It's also been recently added to Netflix's Instant Play feature, which is how I finally managed to start watching it. I'll be honest here, I didn't have much hope for this show at first. Due to Marvel's animated track record, my expectations here were low indeed. To my much delighted surprise though, what I found was a high quality series that rivals anything that DC has ever put out.

Now, admittedly, there are some things that you have to get past. While the animated style of the show may not be as clean and as elegant as Bruce Timm's designs for the various DC shows, the character models here are rather lovely to watch once you get used to them a bit, simple though they may be. Also, I will readily admit that the show has possibly the worst theme song ever. Seriously, it's even worse than the theme from Star Trek: Enterprise, and that's really saying something.

Trust me though, just mute the sound during the opening credits. The show that comes after the credits is amazing!

First off, let me point out that this series was obviously designed to be very similar (if not identical) to the Marvel movie universe. Nick Fury is black, and the voice actor they got to play Tony Stark sounds amazingly like Robert Downey Jr. I don't see this as a bad thing though. With the build Marvel has been doing towards their giant live-action Avengers film, having an animated tie-in makes perfect sense to me. Don't worry though, this show isn't just some half assed money grab for name recognition. It easily could have been, but thankfully the team behind it worked hard to make it a great work on it's own two feet.

One of the biggest things I love about this show is that the team isn't already formed at the start of the first episode. In fact, the team doesn't form until around episode 5 or 6. This series takes it's time and devotes those first few episodes to fleshing out the characters and the backgrounds of each of the team members. Episode one focuses solely on Tony Stark, Episode two looks at Thor, Episode three is the Hulk, Episode four is Captain America, and so on. This investment of time into the characters showing how they operate individually pays off huge dividends later in the season as they have to learn to work together despite not always getting along.

That's a huge theme of the show, actually, looking at just what it means to be a team. Having to trust others you don't necessarily like comes up more than once. While Tony Stark is the de facto leader of the team, it is made clear on multiple occasions that his team doesn't entirely trust his motives and are prone to not following his orders when he issues them. It makes for some great dialogue and character building.

While each episode of the series is a solid stand-alone tale (exluding some specific two-part storylines), there is definitely a season long running story arc that is brewing behind the scenes which is building towards a huge climax at the end of the season. Each episode of the series ends with a Lost or True Blood style cliffhanger that furthers this arc and makes you want to watch the next episode right away. It would not be uncommon to watch multiple episodes in a row just so you can find out what happens next.

The pacing of this mega arc is what I liked best about the series. It added this extra level of importance to what was going on from episode to episode. While on the surface the Avengers are fighting the villain for that week's show, it's clear to the audience that someone behind the scenes in pulling the strings and is setting events into motion that the team has to try to stop. Slowly, over the course of the season the Avengers themselves catch on to this, and begin investigating what is really going on. Along the way, they face some of their greatest enemies and make some friends along the way.

One character who sadly doesn't get his own background episode in the beginning of the season, but who nonetheless plays a pivotal role in the show is Hawkeye. He doesn't even officially join the team until about halfway through the season, but even he is given a great background story of his own that plays out in the background of the season's first 12 episodes or so. By the time he joins the team, you understand who he is and why he has decided to join up even though that is quite counter to his personality type.

I'll be honest here, Hawkeye is my favorite character in the show. I never really understood why people liked him as I was growing up. He seemed so boring to me. He's an archer, big whooptie doo. So what? It wasn't until I read how Brian Michael Bendis wrote him in the Avengers Disassembled comics that I actually started to like him. The way Hawkeye is written into this show is just beautiful. He's the smart-ass snarky dick on the team who questions everything and everyone around him. He's the one who keeps the team members honest with themselves and others. He's also the one who gave me my single favorite scene in the entire first season. This scene, to be exact:

The first time I saw this, I was laughing so hard I had to pause the show and rewind it because I missed the whole next scene that came after it. Any show that can do that to me just shows how high the quality of the writing is.

Another thing I love about this show is all of the nods they make to other Marvel characters. One of the running things to keep a watch out for is whenever any random person is reading a newspaper. On the pages of those papers you will find references to people like The Punisher and even the Man-Thing. It's also not uncommon for the Avengers (especially Tony Stark and Hank Pym) to randomly name drop other heroes like Mr. Fantastic or the whole Fantastic Four team as they are talking to other characters. There are tons of mini cameos as well to look out for. The show is littered with these things which don't come off as forced at all, and which add to the whole feel that this show takes place within the larger Marvel Universe.

By the time you get to the climactic final battle at the end of Season One, you are not left disappointed at all. The battles are truly epic, the characters all learn things and experience some form of character growth, and there is even a huge cliffhanger that reveals a bit of what Season Two will have to offer. Can you say Secret Invasion?

By the time I finished the first season of the show, I can fully say that I think that Marvel has finally found what it takes to make a great animated TV series. They took the time to tell each character's back story. They didn't rush plot developments. For example, the build from Hank Pym first building Ultron to Ultron eventually turning evil is a background tale told over the season. It takes almost 20 episodes to get to where Ultron is a villain. That kind of story telling is what I love best about this show.

If you are a fan of comics and superheroes at all, you owe it to yourself to watch this series. It's the single best cartoon series that Marvel has ever created. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Final Grade: A+

The Doctor, The Witch And The Wardrobe

The official trailer for this year's Doctor Who Christmas Special has been released, and I only have three words to describe it.

Yes! Yes!! YES!!!

Oh man, I can't wait. I'm so excited. The Dr. Who Christmas Special's are always a blast, and this one doesn't look like it will be breaking that trend at all.

The New Tron Cartoon Continues To Make Me Happy

Another sort of trailer has been released for the forthcoming Tron: Uprising cartoon series, and good lord it's even prettier than the one that came out earlier. Now, while most of the actual animation in this trailer is the same stuff we saw in that earlier trailer, this new one does show a ton of new concept art, landscapes, vehicles and other things we hadn't seen before.

If this show winds up only looking half as good as the art in this clip shows, it's still going to be one of the prettiest cartoon shows ever. If it actually looks this good when it comes out, and the story and characters are just as good, this could easily become my favorite cartoon show ever.

Also, the fact that it's all set to Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy soundtrack and has Bruce Boxleitner doing the voice over narration just amps up the awesomeness on display here well past eleven

Superman . . . More Like Super Dick

I've stated before that Superman has a tendency to be a total dick sometimes. Sure, he may say it's a result of his exposure to Red Kryptonite, but I think he's just making that up.

There's even a website devoted to Superman's dickish nature, SuperDickery.com, where you can see not only the Man of Steel, but other superheroes indulging in all manner of dick moves. Of those heroes shown though, Superman is by far the most straight up dick superhero of the group. Many are the examples that can be seen on that sight.

An amazing thing happened recently though. The great animated show Batman: The Brave and the Bold decided to run an episode in which the Son of Krypton is exposed to Red Kryptonite for the first time. The result, of course, is Superman exposing his true dick nature to everyone in Metropolis . . . especially Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. It's an amazing montage of classic golden age Superman moments. There are so many references thrown in there, it's the kind of thing that makes lifelong comics fans like myself get all giddy inside.

Oh, and just keep watching the clip for yet more comic homage greatness. I'm sure many of you will recognize the suit that Batman shows up wearing about halfway through the clip. It takes this episode, which was already at an awesomeness factor of 10, straight to 11.

That's right, I said it goes to 11.

(Via IO9)

Have I Mentioned How Much I Love Dr. Who?

Ok, I know I've mentioned my love of Dr. Who before, but just to reiterate, I really do love Dr. Who. More specifically, I'm really happy with how the new new Dr. Who Matt Smith is working out in the role. He really is brilliant. I had my worries about him when he was cast because he was so young and so . . . lets be honest here . . . odd looking, but those worries are long gone. I should have had more faith in head writer Stephen Moffat and his casting decisions, because not only has Matt Smith fit into the role of the Doctor so perfectly, but Moffat's choice for the Doctor's companions couldn't have been better either.

Karen Gillan as Amy Pond is the perfect foil for Matt Smith's Doctor. As opposed to most of the previous companions, Amy isn't in love with the Doctor. She's smart, she's really sassy, and good lord is she beautiful. Then there's Amy's Husband Rory Williams, played so well by Arthur Darvill. Rory perfectly rounds out the cast of the show. He's his own man. He's not Amy's hanger on, as previous significant others of companions have been. He loves her, but he gives her hell too when she needs it.

The above video is a perfect example of why I love this show. The dialogue is delivered in a quick, witty banter style. The chemistry between the actors feels completely natural. It feels like they are honestly friends having a good time as they make this. It comes across in their deliveries and adds a general warmth to the characters and their relationship to each other.

I'm so happy to see Rory and The Doctor becoming friends outside of Amy, and of Amy being slightly annoyed about this. Great stuff. Anyways, this is part one of a short story that was released as a teaser for the upcoming season which starts this summer. You can see part 2 HERE.

I hope they do more of these short, self contained stories. This was fantastic.

Enjoy.

Sadness, Thy Name Is The New Wonder Woman Costume

The good news, they're making a new Wonder Woman TV series that will be airing on NBC later this year.

The bad news, this is the costume that actress Adrianne Palicki will be donning in this new series.

Ugh. Really? This is the best they could do? She looks like a hooker in a cheap Halloween costume! What's that thing made out of, paper thin vinyl? How is that supposed to protect her when she goes into battle? Also, when did Wonder Woman get a really bad boob job? What's wrong with those things? Why are they so far apart?

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of the pants instead of her typical star spangled panties thing she usually wears. I've never really understood why the princess of the Amazons would basically wear part of the American Flag to cover her lady bits, seeing as how she's not American, but whatever. The pants are a good idea, but can we get them made out of leather or something more befitting a warrior princess? Please?

Also, honey, tone down the red lipstick a bit. Lipstick is fine and all, but slathering on five layers of it in a color that bright just makes you look like a prostitute. I'm sorry, but it's true.

To be honest, I already had my worries about this show after I had heard about how the new incarnation of Wonder Woman is a CEO who has a tendency to worry about the size of her boobs. Now, after seeing this pic, I am very worried indeed. Just how bad is this new live action series going to be?

As I always am, I'm still deep down optimistic that it won't end up being the horribly bad piece of crap that I fear it's going to be. Only time will tell though. In the mean time, I'm not exactly eagerly awaiting this show's premiere date.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

The New Tron Cartoon Looks Surprisingly Amazing

Shortly before Tron: Legacy was released in theaters, Disney announced that they were making an animated series that would take place between the two live-action films, which would be called Tron: Uprising. When this first announcement was made, I was highly skeptical. Disney, as much as I love them, is not really known for making amazing movie tie-in shows. Upon hearing of Tron: Uprising, my head was filled with images of a badly written, badly animated series that I would try to pretend never existed in the years to come.

Then I saw the above trailer.

Holy crap, it looks god damned amazing. Ok, I'll be the first to admit when I'm wrong, and I may have very well been wrong in fearing that Tron: Uprising was going to suck horribly. Let's look at all of the trailer's high points, and it has many:

• The animation looks gorgeous.
• It features a great blend of classic hand-drawn animation and CG.
• It has light cycles that can turn at 90 degree angles.
• The music sounds great. Very Daft Punk-esque.
• Elijah Wood and Paul Reubens are featured in the voice cast.

And last, but certainly not least

• Bruce Boxleitner will be the voice of Tron.

Hells Yes! Ok, I'm officially excited about this series now. Yes, it could still just as easily suck horribly if the story is bad, but at the very least it will look pretty while sucking horribly. If nothing else, I can put it on in the background for pretty visuals while listening to music.

Somehow though, I get the feeling that this show may possibly end up being awesome. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

So Sad, So Horribly True

I really wish I could argue against this infographic, which explains how all good TV shows ever eventually go bad, but it's so completely true that I can't argue against it.

Every show that I can think of, all of my most beloved shows, fit perfectly into this chart. Well, with one exception I guess. Doctor Who. The only reason that show gets around this truth is that they have a built in plot device in which the entire cast of the show can change every few years, thus enabling literally limitless storytelling. No other show is so lucky.

New Thundercats? Hooooooooo-ld On A Second

Word broke yesterday that there's going to be a new Thundercats cartoon series. Upon hearing (ok, reading) the words "new Thundercats cartoon" yesterday, I instantly responded the same way any self respecting nerd in his early 30's would who watched the cartoon growing up, I jumped up and down for joy, clapped my hands and screamed like a five year old girl. You know, the usual.

After a bit more time to think though, the worries have set in. Can any cartoon really compare to my nostalgia infused memories of the original series? Don't most reboots of 80's cartoons suck horribly? The more I think about this, the more I get torn. On the one side, you have reboots like that terrible Masters of the Universe series that came out a few years ago. You remember that one right? It was the one where He-Man was somehow bestowed with an emo-mullet. That thing was pretty god awful, and it tarnished the memory of the original series. I think most of us bitter older nerds tend to view the majority of reboots along the lines of that kind of quality.

On the other hand though, there's the occasional gems to be found like GI Joe: Resolute. That was probably one of the greatest things ever made as far as I'm concerned. Not only did it live up to fan expectations, but it was actually a superior quality product than the original series was. It was a shining example that not all reboots of classic shows are bad.

I'm not saying that a new Thundercats series is guaranteed to be super sucky, I'm just saying that the posibility exists and that we all need to recognize that. I will do my best to stay hopeful, but who knows how this will turn out. Oh, Sword of Omens, if only you could grant me sight beyond sight and let me know if this new series is worth getting excited about or not.

The Top Five Fake Words I Use In Everyday Conversation

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how my interests in things like sci-fi, cartoons, comic books and other nerdy pursuits have not only shaped me into the person I am today, but also how they have affected my life on a daily level.  I wear nerdy t-shirts with things like Halo or Star Wars characters printed on them, I listen to nerdy music from bands like They Might Be Giants or MC Chris, I even named my car Locutus because it's a Nissan Cube, and a cube is what the Borg fly around in.

 

Of course none of this is new to me.  I've been a giant geek since as far back as I can remember, but in this recent period of introspection, I've also noticed something else I do that most non-nerds probably don't do.  I use a lot of made up words in my regular everyday vernacular.

 

I'm not talking about words like Jedi or Tribble, although those most definitely count as made up words I do use.  No, I'm talking about words that sneak their way even into non-geeky conversations.  Things like Tribble can usually only be included in conversations specifically about that which you are referring to.  It's very hard to include something like that in, oh say, a conversation with your mechanic about why your car won't start, or with your co-workers when discussing projects you're working on.

 

I've realized though that I do actually use a lot of made up words in situations like these.  Strangely enough, they actually fit into regular conversations too.  The key I've noticed is that they are words that are simple enough or similiar enough to other real words or phrases that even non-nerds can understand their meaning even if they don't know the actual definition of the word or its origin.  After thinking on this realization for a bit, I've put together a list of five words that I actually do use in almost every day conversation (I swear) that I have learned only from watching the nerdy kinds of shows that I love.

 



 

5.  Gorram

 

Gorram (Pronounced Gore-Ram) - Interjection/Expletive

 

The Word Gorram is familiar to anyone who has seen Joss Whedon's TV show Firefly.  It was a standard curse word used by multiple characters on the show in place of what would normally be the term "God Damn".  It was most commonly used by the character Jayne when he was upset or angry. 

 

Example:  "My gorram car died on the way to work today!"

 

This is one of those words that just slips out without me even realizing I've said it.  I do admit to having the tendency to cuss like a sailor, but it takes a special kind of nerd to start cussing using fake words from cancelled sci-fi TV shows.  I think it's gorram's similarity to god damn that has really made this one become part of my daily life.  I use the two words interchangably now.  They sound the same, they have the same meaning, therefore in my head they are now both perfectly valid words to be used in normal conversation.  Damn what the Oxford English Dictionary has to say on the matter.

 



 

4.  Jinkies

 

Jinkies (Pronounced Jeen-keys) - Expletive

 

Jinkies of course was first used by Velma on the Scooby Doo cartoon series.  It was her regular catchphrase (much like Shaggy had Zoinks), and was used to express suprise or to announce a major realization.

 

Example: "Jinkies, I think I just found out where my socks go when the washing machine steals them."

 

I was a huge Scooby Doo fan growing up, and Velma was always my favorite character.  She was the smart, quiet one who always was the one who actually solved whatever mystery they were working on.  While Fred was too busy trying to shag the brainless Daphne, and Scooby and Shaggy were hiding in fear somewhere, it almost always came down to Velma to figure everything out.  It's no wonder then that an impressionable young Patrick took on some of the mannerisms of such an unassuming hero.  Even today, I still say Jinkies on a regular basis whenever something suprises me, or I discover something really cool about the world. 

 



 

3.  Shazbot

 

Shazbot (Pronounced Shaz-Bot) - Explective

 

The term Shazbot comes from the late 70's and early 80's TV show Mork & Mindy (which starred a young Robin Williams).  The show was about an alien who lived with you young woman on earth.  Shazbot was a word used by Mork in place of the regular curse word "shit".

 

Example:  "Shazbot! I spilled my beer!"

 

I watched a lot of Mork & Mindy growing up.  I took to sci-fi at an early age, and a show about an alien who ages in reverse was really funny to me.  As for Shazbot, I picked this one up because in my house as I was growing up, we were completely forbidden to cuss.  Therefore, I had to find other words to use in place of actual curse words.  Shazbot was one of the first ones I learned.  So long as I didn't go too far with it and use it all the time, I could say Shazbot in front of my mom and she wouldn't even bat an eye.  I'm sure she knew what I was doing, but I don't really think she cared since the word was fake.  Regardless, since I've been saying Shazbot since I was about six years old, it long ago became a regular part of my vocabulary and even though I can say shit all I want nowadays, I still find myself slipping back to shazbot more often than you would imagine.

 



 

2.  Retcon

 

Retcon (Pronounced (Ret-Con) - Verb

 

The term retcon is actually a shortening of the term Retroactive Continuity.  It was first used by DC Comics in the early 1980's and is a term for what happens when writers or story tellers deliberately change pre-existing facts or events in a work of serial fiction.

 

Example:  "I can't believe they just retconned Superman's origin and powers like that."

 

Retcon is a really interesting word.  I didn't even realize it was a made up word until a few years ago, and I'd been using it for a while too.  Retconning is most often seen in the comic book industry where new editors and writers will come in and completely change characters, their origins, or how previous large events in their stories happened.  A great example of this is the One More Day storyline in the Spider-man comics.  In the story, Spider-man makes a deal with the devil (literally) to save his dying Aunt May.  The price for saving her is that his marriage to Mary Jane is abolished and all memory of it is wiped from his memory and the memories of everyone who has ever met either of them.  For all intents and purposes in the story now, Spider-man never got married.  The whole marriage story, which ran for about 20 years, has been retconned into non-existence.

 

It doesn't just pop up in comics though.  Since it was first created, retcon now shows up all over the place.  One of my more favorite uses of the word happened in the Torchwood TV series.  In that series, they have a drug called Retcon which they can give to people that makes them completely forget everything they've seen or experienced for the past 24 hours or so.  It's a total memory wipe of recent events, which basically retcons the last day's events from their brains.  Yes, it's a cheesy plot device but I love it. 

 



 

1.  Frak

 

Frak (Pronounced....well....Frak) - Expletative/Adjective

 

Frak (sometimes spelled Frack) is the standard curse word used in the Battlestar Galactica universe.  Every character in the show uses it at least a few times over the course of the series.  It's heard at least a good dozen times in one variation or another in each episode.  Variations include such colorful phrases as Frakking, Fraked, Frakker and Motherfrakker among others. It is their replacement word for the word "fuck" which enables the show's creators to have a very foulmouthed cast that can float right by the censors.

 

Example:  "Frak!  This stupid frakking traffic is going to make me late to work!  Stupid motherfrakkers, get out of my frakking way!!!"

 

I love the word Frak.  It's so simple, so elegant, and can be used in so many ways.  Sure, there have been other shows who have used made up words to replace the word "fuck".  Farscape is one that comes to mind with their regular use of the word "frell", but frak just feels more natural and seems to roll off the tongue more easily.  It really is the best made up four letter word I can think of.  It's become rather commonplace too and has started showing up in other shows as well.  You can also find the word printed on t-shirts, coffee mugs and bumper stickers.  Even people who have never seen Battlestar knows what someone means when they yell Frak.  It has a universal appeal, and it is something I definitely use on an almost daily basis.

Serenity Flies Again On The Printed Page

 

Hey all you Browncoats out there, I've got some good news for you.  Even though Joss Whedon's Firefly may be dead as a TV show and movie franchise, the adventures of Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his crew aren't over just yet.  It has been announced that an officially licensed series of short stories about the folks from Firefly will be released soon by Titan Books, and best of all in my opinion is the fact that the amazingly talented sci-fi writer Jane Espenson will be writing one of the stories.

 

From the Sci-Fi Wire:

 

Writer/producer Jane Espenson—who wrote one episode of the Fox sci-fi series [Shindig] but is a longtime friend and colleague of Whedon's going back to her days on Buffy the Vampire Slayer—told us that she will be writing one of the stories, centering on the characters of Kaylee and Wash (obviously set in a time period before the events of the movie Serenity).

 

"I'm writing a short story set in the Firefly universe that someone's putting together," Espenson said in an interview on Sunday in Pasadena, Calif., where she was promoting her upcoming Syfy series Caprica. "Titan Books is putting together a collection written by various of the Firefly writers. But [it's a] very short story, ... 2,000 words."

 

She added: "Oh, I just came up with a very clever little short story that involves Kaylee and Wash, two characters that we haven't seen together that much."

 

I've actually been wondering for a while now why we haven't already seen a book series about the Firefly universe.  All of the other popular sci-fi properties I can think of have their own book series. Just wander into the sci-fi/fantasy section of any bookstore and you'll find tons of books for franchises like Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica and even Doctor Who.  This just begs the question, where the hell have our Firefly books been?  Sure, there have been some comic book mini-series runs here and there, but what about full-on novels? 

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that we are getting a collection of short stories here, but why hasn't a full length book about Firefly been commissioned?  You just know that fanboys like myself would scoop that thing up in a heartbeat.  What happened after the events of Serenity?  How does Zoe handle Wash's death?  How well adjusted does River become after finally getting her issues over the whole Miranda thing resolved?  What happens to the Reavers after their major clash with the Alliance?  All of these questions would make for some great books, and we loyal Browncoats would buy these books in droves.  Seriously Mr. Whedon, why hasn't this been done yet?

 

Maybe these short stories are just their way of testing the waters for a book series?  If so, be sure to buy this set when it comes out.  Maybe if it sells well we'll finally get the full story continuation that Firefly fans have been craving for years.

Eddie Izzard With A Shotgun

 

 

The BBC is apparently doing a remake of the sci-fi classic Day Of The Triffids, which is cool and all, but to me the most important thing which warranted a post here on Geek-tastic was the picture above.  Eddie Izzard will be one of the stars of the remake, and this image of him holding a shotgun is all I need to make me want to see this show.

 

If you want to see the trailer, you can check it out here. 

 

On a personal note, if there were ever actually a film called "Eddie Izzard with a Shotgun", I'd be the first person in line to go see it.

The Evolution Of The Cylon

 

You know, I had always thought that everyone on Battlestar Galactica calling Cylons "toasters" all the time was just some sort of derogatory term for their robot enemies.  It turns out though that the term comes from the evolutionary history of the cybernetic race that is so fond of human genocide.  According to this chart, the earliest form of the Cylon was indeed a toaster.  Over time, these toasters evolved, they grew wheels, then learned to walk on two legs.  They developed machine gun hands and learned how to build spaceships and nukes.  Then, eventually they became the Cylons we know today.  Hot women in skimpy outfits.

 

To go from a toaster to Tricia Helfer in such a short time is amazing.  This surely must be proof that the Cylons are a far more evolved species than we are.

Top 10 Geeky TV Shows On The Netflix Instant Play Feature

We're already well into the holiday season and Christmas and New Year's are just around the corner.  For many of us, that means days off of work and vacations spent relaxing around the house catching up on our favorite movies or TV shows.  But what to watch?  There are so many choices and so many options to view them with.  One of the perks of living in the future like we all do is that we have some amazing Video On Demand (VOD) services available to us.  Aside from Hulu, my personal favorite is the Netflix Instant Play feature.

 

For anyone who has a Netflix account, there are literally thousands of titles, both TV and movies, that can be streamed on demand whenever you want to see them.  You can watch them on your computer monitor if you want, but they can also be viewed through both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 as well as through Windows Media Center.  With so many choices though, it's difficult to decide what to watch, that's why we here at Geek-tastic have developed this list of the Top Ten Geeky Shows Available On Netflix's Instant Play Feature to help you find the best shows to geek out to while chilling on your couch on your days off.  Let's get started, shall we?

 



 

10.  Heroes - ONLY Season One

 

My hatred for Heroes in its later seasons is well known, but I will freely and openly admit that I liked the show for the most part in its first season.  Sure, it's not the greatest superhero TV show of all time (that title is still held by The Greatest American Hero), but it's not a terrible show either.  Long before the show was reduced to Claire's desperate ratings-grabbing Lesbian storyline or before Sylar took a long road trip that went nowhere with the most annoying twins since Mary-kate and Ashley Olsen, Heroes was actually a fairly entertaining comic book superhero drama.  Sure, the whole thing was a great big ripoff of the X-Men, but it is still cool to see superheroes on TV.  In season one of the show Hiro is still cool, Sylar is still a badass Villain and Claire is . . . well, Claire's been annoying as hell since day one.  Nothing really changed there.

 

If you want some superhero goodness over your holiday break, go ahead and enjoy the first season of heroes.  Just promise me that you won't continue on to Season Two.  For your own sanity, just don't do it.  Pretend like I do that the show was cancelled after Season One and nothing else came after it.  In that light, the show is actually really good.

 



 

09.  Lost

 

Lost is one of those shows people either love or hate with a passion.  There really isn't much of an in-between.  It's an X-files kind of show in the sense that there's a million questions that the viewer has, but the show almost never answers those questions.  When they do, each answer they give only serves to spawn three new questions.  If you like a good adventure/mystery show though, Lost really is the best there is.  The first two seasons of the show are non-stop heart-pounding action and suspense.  Sure, the show may have lost (no pun intended) its way a bit in Season Three, but they've since recovered and are back again in top form as they approach the beginning of their final season.

 

If you've never seen Lost before, now is your chance to catch up before it's all over.  All five seasons of Lost that have aired so far are available on the Instant Play feature.  Even if you've seen Lost before, now is a good chance to go back and get reacquainted with Jake, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the rest.  As Desmond would say, "It's the right thing to do brother!"

 



 

08.  Dexter

 

Who knew a show about a demented serial killer could be so funny?  Strangely enough though, it's hilarious.  Dexter is an interesting mix of suspense, violence and very dark comedy that never fails to entertain immensely.  The show follows the daily life of a serial killer who just so happens to also be a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police force.  Dexter doesn't just kill anyone though.  No, he has a code.  He only kills bad guys.  Killers, rapists, pedophiles, anyone who escapes justice becomes his next victim. 

 

Of special geek note in the show, Dexter's girlfriend is played by actress Julie Benz, whom you'll remember as the vampire Darla from both Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Angel.  If you aren't squeamish about blood at all, and love a good suspense story, Dexter will certainly creep you out in all the best ways possible.

 



 

07.  Cosmos - With Carl Sagan

 

If you were a child of the 80's like I was, chances are you were introduced to Carl Sagan's Cosmos at an early age.  An entire generation grew up watching this show, and every generation since then has followed suit for good reason.  Cosmos is the single most popular science documentary ever made.  It's been seen in countries around the world and has been viewed by millions of people.  It's won more awards than I can count, and it's still as relevant today as it was when it first aired back in the early 80's on PBS.

 

What is Cosmos, you ask?  It's a documentary about space, the earth and Man's role in the universe.  Everything from the Big Bang to UFO's are covered in the course of the series, and it's all narrated beautifully by one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.  Carl Sagan's delivery and narration are really what make this show so addictive.  His absolute passion and excitement about the subject matter come across so powerfully that the viewer can't help but get excited about science too. 

 

This is the series that forever endowed me with a love of space exploration, science and an interest in how my own brain and body work.  The fact that this can be viewed whenever one wishes makes me smile inside.

 



 

06.  The IT Crowd

 

If you like british comedy shows like the original Office, Coupling, Teachers or Absolutely Fabulous, you'll adore The IT Crowd.  The show is about two computer geeks who work in the IT department of a big corporation.  In the first episode they are assigned a new boss who doesn't know a thing about computers and, as usually happens in these types of shows, hilarity ensues.

 

The character of Moss and Roy (the two IT guys) are wonderful.  They're the kind of every-day geeks like us that we instantly love.  They're smart and funny, but a bit socially awkward (especially Moss).  The show is filled with geeky references to computers (of course), comics, movies and other pop culture stuff.  The show also features one of the coolest 8-Bit style intros I've ever seen.  Be warned though, the theme song is very catchy and you'll be humming it for days.

 



 

05.  Mystery Science Theater 3000

 

MST3k is a classic of science fiction comedy.  It's show about a guy trapped on a space station with two smartass robots who is forced to sit through the worst films ever just to see what happens to him.  To stop himself from going insane, he and his robot friends constantly mock the movies they are seeing.  The vast majority of the show is actually the films that are being watched, with the guy (either Mike or Joel depending on the episode) and the robots appearing in the bottom corner of the screen as silhouettes in theater seats.  You're watching the movie with them, and their commentary is really what makes the show great.

 

If you've ever watched a really crappy movie with some friends, and you talked over it for most of the film, you'll know what MST3k is like.  While there aren't full season sets on Netflix to watch, there are a ton of individual episodes that can be selected.  Click the link above and you'll see a good list of what is available.

 

Note: Somehow, the drunker one is while watching MST3k, the funnier the jokes are.  I don't know quite how that works, but I can attest to the validity of this statement after hours of strict scientific research on my part.

 



 

04.  Farscape

 

Long before Battlestar Galactica became the phenomenon it was for the SyFy Channel, Farscape was by far their most popular and highest rated show.  The series is about a NASA pilot named John Crichton who gets sucked through a wormhole and ends up on the other side of the galaxy.  His goal is to find his way home, but through a series of events in the first episode he finds himself travelling with a group of escaped prisoners in a living spaceship.  Oh, and they're being hunted by a very powerful and evil empire-like army.

 

One other important fact about this show.  It was produced by the Jim Henson company, which means a good number of the aliens and the makeup and whatnot on the show was done by them.  Now, don't go thinking that this is a Space Muppets show.  This isn't Pigs in Space.  This is the Henson company at the height of their game.  Think Labyrinth or Dark Crystal, but with better effects.  These are some serious puppets and special effects we're talking about here. 

 

What do you get when you blend space operas and Jim Henson?  You get Farscape, and the show takes the best parts of both worlds and is ever more awesome for it.  The entire series of Farscape is available on the Instant Play feature too, so you won't miss a moment of its greatness.

 



 

03.  Doctor Who

 

There's a reason that Doctor Who is the longest running science fiction show of all time.  It's beyond awesome.  The tale of the Time Lord known only as The Doctor has been going on for over 40 years now, and I doubt it will be stopping anytime soon.  Don't feel daunted by the show's long history though.  The series got a reboot of sorts back in 2005, and it's the perfect jumping on point for those who have never watched an episode of Doctor Who before.

 

The Doctor is an immortal alien known as a Time Lord.  He's a super genius and he travels through space and time just for the fun of it.  Along the way he gets caught up in one adventure after another.  His life is definitely not boring.  Oh, and he usually has a pretty and smart sidekick with him on his travels.

 

In the current series of the show that started back in 2005, two different men have played The Doctor.  Christopher Eccleston, whom you may remember as the army commander in 28 Days Later or as the invisible man from Heroes, plays the doctor for the first season of the show.  After he leaves, The Doctor is played by the truly amazingly talented David tennant.

 

Doctor Who is sci-fi at it's campiest best.  It's meant to be fun.  This isn't dark sci-fi, it's fun sci-fi, filled with hope and wonder and the belief that tomorrow will always be a better day.  With so many franchises that have tried to get darker and edgier over the years, it's so nice to see a show that has steadfastly stuck to its roots and is even more popular today than it ever has been before. 

 



 

02.  Legend Of The Seeker

 

When I first heard that Sam Raimi and his production company Renaissance Pictures would be adaptating Terry Goodkind's beloved Sword of Truth fantasy novels into a TV series, I was incredibly skeptical.  The only thing I could think of was that this was going to be another cheesy fantasy series like the Hercules and Zena: Warrior Princess series' he had produced before.  Not that those are bad shows, mind you.  But since Lord of the Rings came out in theaters, I've been dying for a good fantasy series on TV and I thought that Legend of the Seeker would never be that with Raimi producing it.

 

Oh how wrong I was.

 

Make no mistake, Legend of the Seeker is no new Hercules or Zena series.  This is a Lord of The Rings scale epic fantasy series beyond my wildest dreams.  I think my jaw actually dropped a few times during the first episode of this show.  The production values are movie quality.  The special effects are flawless and gorgeous.  The whole thing is shot on location in New Zealand, so the scenery is beautiful.  The writing is superb.  The actors are top notch.  The characters are fun, endearing and exciting.  And best of all, the story is epic as all good fantasy tales should be.

 

Legend of the Seeker is about a man named Richard Cypher.  He is the first true Seeker born in over a thousand years.  He has been destined to save the world from the evil lord Darken Rahl, a ruthless wizard and king who rules the lands with an iron fist.  Richard must go from a humble upbringing and train to become the warrior he needs to be to complete his destiny.  Helping him is a very powerful wizard named Zedicus Zu'l Zorander and a beautiful Confessor named Kahlan, who has the power to turn men away from evil with a single touch. 

 

Think of it like this, Legend of the Seeker is a weekly series that has badass swordfights, cool magic, dark wizards, evil armies, damsels in distress, forbidden love, epic quests and all of the other things that make fantasy so great in the first place.  In my opinion, it is hands down the greatest fantasy TV series I have ever seen.  The whole first season of the show is available on Netflix's Instant Play feature as well as the first few episodes from season two so far.

 

My only hope is that this show  continues on for years and years to come.

 

 

 

01.  Star Trek - The Original Series

 

Where would we as geeks be without Star Trek?  The original series of Trek is a foundation upon which most of science fiction today as we know it is built.  This is the series that gave us Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, phrases like "Warp speed Mr. Sulu" and "I'm giving it all she's got Captain!".  It's the show that introduced the concept of the "Red Shirt" to us.  It made words like "Phasers" and "Warp Drive" common household terms.  It taught us the greatest hand signal of all time and also gave television it's first ever interracial kiss. 

 

It broke down more barriers than I can even think of.  It's gone beyond being a TV show and has become ingrained in our popular culture.  Walk up to anyone on the street and ask them what "Beam me up Scotty" means and they'll be able to tell you, even if they've never ever watched a single episode of Star Trek in their whole life.

 

Now, the first season of the original series that started it all is available for viewing on the Instant Play feature.  This is the newly remastered version of the series too.  The special effects have been updated with amazing CG work that still evokes the original look of the show.  The overall picture quality of the show has been cleaned up too so that it looks even better today than it did when it first aired on TV.

 

For both new Trek fans and old, having Star Trek on demand like this is like a present from the gods.  It is something to be cherished and loved.

The Doctor Is Almost Out Of Time

 

David Tennant's tenure as the time travelling Doctor Who is quickly coming to an end and I'm feeling really sad about it. I'm sure Matt Smith will do a great job as the new Doctor when he takes over next year, but I absolutely love David Tennant's take on the Doctor and am really going to miss him when he leaves. Much like how I missed Christopher Eccleston after left at the end of the first season.

 

That's the problem with Doctor Who. The cast is always changing every few years. Sure, that means that you'll always have new and exciting stories and things will never get boring, but at the same time you are always having to say goodbye to those you love on the show (i.e. Martha Jones).

 

The above clip is a preview of an upcoming Doctor Who special which will be airing after Christmas here in the states. It's David Tennant's second-to-last episode as everyone's favorite Time Lord, and it features the return of The Master as the main villain.

 

If you want to understand what I'll be missing most about David Tennant once he's gone, just watch the first minute or so of the video. No one can ramble on aimlessly like he can and be so constantly entertaining. I hope Matt Smith is that good at being silly.

Of The Beginnings Of Star Trek Conventions

 

 

While I was randomly wandering the internet the other day, I ran across this amazing piece done by Newsweek about the origins of the Star Trek Convention.  It's not so much an article as it is a photo slide show with narration, but it's an amazing bit of uncovered nerd history that I really wish I got to see more of.

 

The news piece focuses on one of the very first ever Star Trek Conventions that was held back in 1975.  The narration is provided by costume Designer Angelique Trouvere, a self described "Trekkie from way back", who reflects back on the great times Trek fans had back at these early conventions.  This was back when the stars could still mingle with the fans and when William Shatner was rocking a leisure suit that featured multiple shades of peach.  No, seriously, a peach leisure suit.  It has to be seen to be believed.

 

What really impressed me the most though was how the piece took the time to point out that most of these early conventions were mainly female affairs.  They were organized by women, run by women, and the majority of the attendees of the conventions were women.  As someone who is always rallying against the stereotype that geeks are only ever men, it is so incredibly awesome to see something like this that blows that stereotype to little tiny bits. 

 

Star Trek conventions, those things that the majority of the world consider to only ever be attended by overweight and socially deficient males, were in fact originally created by and for women.  Very nerdy women.  Very nerdy and very beautiful women who showed up in costumes that would put modern COSplayers to shame with their awesomeness.  You go ladies!  All of us Trek nerds who have come after you owe you an incredibly massive debt.  If it wasn't for you, we may never have gotten more Trek in the form of movies and then new shows like TNG and DS9.  Your valiant efforts have helped to make the world as nerdy as it is today. 

 

Thank you!

 



 

I have to say this though.  If I ever get access to a time machine, I'm totally going back to 1975 to attend these conventions.  They look so incredible.  They must have been an absolute blast to attend. 

 

Sigh, I wish I had been born sooner so I could have gone to cool stuff like this.  Con's nowadays are all about overcrowding, minimum star/fan interaction, overpriced tickets and food, long ass lines and never getting to see the stuff you really wanted to see.  I do remember going to Star Trek Conventions in the early to mid 90's and I clearly remember them being awesome.  Young nerds today don't know what they're missing.  Old school cons were the best.

Nickelodeon Buys Everyone's Favorite Turtles

 

Wow, this wasn't something I expected to see . . . well . . . ever.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been sold to children's TV Network Nickelodeon.  Weird, I didn't even know the Turtles were for sale.

 

Nickelodeon, a division of Viacom, has acquired the global rights to the property from the Mirage Group and 4Kids Entertainment. Additionally, Nick's sister company Paramount will steer a new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" feature to the bigscreen, planned for 2012. Scott Mednick ("300") is producing the pic.

 

The deal, which gives Nick the global intellectual property rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, cost $60 million. ...

 

Nick, which also acquired all merchandising rights to the Turtles, will begin developing a CG-animated TV series based on the Turtles, also slated to premiere in 2012. Nick will continue to work with its original and longstanding toy partner, Playmates Toys.

 

First off, who knew that the Turtles franchise was worth $60 million?  I certainly didn't.  Secondly, I can't really say that this is a bad thing.  I, like just about everyone else my age, grew up watching and reading about the Turtles.  I love the Turtles, so hearing that Nickelodeon (the same network that has brought us some amazing animated shows in the past like Avatar: The Last Airbender) is now in charge of the Turtles brand and is planning on doing a lot with it is definitely something I'd mark as a positive thing.  A new Movie?  A new CG Animated show?  Funk Yeah!!!

 

I'm going to be keeping a very open mind about this sale.  With any luck, Nickelodeon will pump out some really awesome new Turtles stuff, and the little kid in me will be very happy.  I can't wait to see what they do.

Leonard Nimoy Goes In Search Of . . . Dracula

 

If you have never seen or heard of the show In Search Of, you're really missing out. In Search Of was an amazing (and by amazing I mean so bad and cheesy it was awesome) TV show that ran from 1976 to 1982 which looked at all sorts of strange and unexplained phenomenons from around the world. Atlantis, Bigfoot, the Nazca Lines, Stonehenge, you name it and it was probably covered by In Search Of.

 

What made the show great was a mix of things. First and foremost, it was hosted and narrated by none other than Mr. Leonard Nimoy. When it comes to cool and trippy voiceovers, you really can't get much better than Leonard Nimoy. Secondly, the show was made in the late 70's, so it's got this great classic science feel to it where the research and the technology shown in the episodes are incredibly dated. Finally, the music in the background of every episode of the show is this trippy sort of experimental moog music which just adds to the overall awesomeness of things.

 

In Search Of was one of my favorite shows when I was in high school. I used to come home every day and watch it as I ate a late lunch. Already being the big huge Star Trek nerd that I was, having Leonard Nimoy hosting it was a hook I couldn't escape. Since the show was made around the time of the first Star Trek films too, Mr. Nimoy can be seen on occasion looking young and hip in his cool 70's clothes and 70's hair. It's almost too cool for words.

 

In honor of Halloween, I've included part one of the Dracula episode of In Search Of with this post. It really is a fun thing to watch, filled with a decent historical account of the man Dracula was based upon, along with some rather outlandish myths and legends that surround him. It makes for great halloween viewing. And if you want to see some classic Nimoy, he pops up around the 5:25 mark.

 

If you want to see more of In Search of, just do a search for it on youtube, there's a bunch of episodes on there.

 

Enjoy.

Primeval get's a season 4 & 5

 

If you don't know about Primeval. It first got released for the BBC Feburary 2007.  It's a PG show with graphic violence, there are deaths, some pretty bloody, but most of it is done by a digital beast. But, what else can you do with a monster from a different time period.

 

So the concept of the show is "anomalies' start to appear, it's a glimmering portal that seem to open time lines on Earth. Some open to a period with Dodo birds, a Columbian Mammoth, a Pteranodon and, as pictured above, a Gorgonopsid (wider mouthed creature). Around the middle of the first season the theory begins to expand that the anomalies can open to time lines in the future. Also pictured above is the future predator. The cast features people with different backgrounds that manage to pool each other's strength's to solve a common problem.

 

The third season ended in a cliff hanger of epic proportions.

**SPOILER ALERT**

If you haven't seen the show but intend to...

In the third season they killed off the main character Nick Cutter and the main antagonist Helen Cutter (the wife) and no one has really stepped up to the reigns as the "leader" of the group.  The 2 longest members of the team get trapped in the Cretaceous period after being chased by a pack of Deiononychus and the only other member who had the opportunity to become a leader get's trapped in, what is basically, the cradle of man, when the first colony of homonids come around. Then the sun begins to set as the season finale ends.

And like a tv station that comes up with reality shows that have been copied over here in the US, it got cancelled. Even though it was popular with books, toys and a fan base. They posted a huge loss financially and dropped their shows that needed production values and a cast to keep their other shows alive. Sounds all too familiar doesn't it?

 

But here's the shiny line now, like most tv shows are doing, they are listening to their fans. After it was deemed for cancellation in June 2009, there was outcries from fan sites demanding more seasons, or at least even closure. Now September comes along and Primeval gets a second chance at life and is renewed for 2 more seasons.

 

With recent shows being given life after death like Futurama, that maybe some production companies may actually start listening to the people they are catering to.

 

Oh and the show, it's got some mother fucking dinosaurs!

Looks Like I'm Going To Have To Start Watching Castle

 

As a huge Nathan Fillion fan, I've known of his ABC series called Castle for some time now, but for one reason or another I haven't gotten around to watching it yet.  However, the show has a new Halloween episode coming up and this picture has leaked to the internet showing us exactly what Nathan's character on the show will be wearing for Halloween. 

 

Hot damn!!!  Even 8 years after Firefly was cancelled, he still looks damned amazing in that uniform.  Wearing that, Nathan Fillion could order me to march to my death and I'd probably follow his commands without a thought otherwise.

 

Goddamnit, I miss Captain Malcolm Reylonds so much.  Can we get another Serenity movie sometime soon?  Please?!?!?!